Birth of a literary giant, Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens, one of England’s literary giants, was born in Portsmouth on 7 February 1812. He was the son of John Dickens, a pay clerk in the Dockyard and his wife Elizabeth. John and Elizabeth occupied a comfortable home at 387 Mile End Terrace, now 393 Old Commercial Road. Their house somehow survived the subsequent devastation of Portsmouth and is preserved in the care of Portsmouth City Museums and Records Service. To find out more, or take a virtual tour, visit their website: http://www.charlesdickensbirthplace.co.uk/